The United States signalled both military readiness and diplomatic caution on Saturday as Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth said Washington was fully prepared to resume war with Iran if necessary, while President Donald Trump delayed a final decision on a tentative ceasefire deal.
The developments came amid renewed Israel-Hezbollah exchanges, fresh US action against Iranian procurement networks and continued uncertainty over regional security talks. Follow our live coverage for the latest updates.04:30 PM, 30 May 2026Israel expands ground operations in southern LebanonIsraeli troops have significantly changed the rules of engagement on the ground. They have pushed deep into Hezbollah’s second and third lines of defence north of the Litani River.The operation has been under way for several days, but over the past 48 hours, we have seen a significant expansion.They have pushed past Zawtar al Sharqiyeh and Mayfadoun, and they are now at the edges of the town of Choukine, which was issued a forced displacement order today.04:03 PM, 30 May 2026Oman issues alert over suspected naval mine in HormuzOman’s Maritime Security Centre has urged all seafarers, fishermen and vessels to exercise the utmost caution after a floating object suspected to be a naval mine was detected west of the coastal traffic zone in the Strait of Hormuz within Omani territorial waters.The centre advised mariners to keep a safe distance from any suspicious objects encountered at sea and to report them immediately to the relevant authorities.03:56 PM, 30 May 202620 ships transit Strait of Hormuz in 24 hours, says IRGC Twenty ships have passed through the Strait of Hormuz in the past 24 hours under coordination by Iranian forces, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) navy said, according to Fars News Agency.Get updated faster and for FREE: Download the Gulf News app now - simply click here.03:40 PM, 30 May 2026Hegseth says Iran talks are progressingUS Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said talks with Iran aimed at ending the conflict are making progress, describing discussions as "productive" and noting that Washington is in a "good place" to reach an agreement.Speaking to reporters in Singapore, Hegseth stressed that President Donald Trump would not be rushed into a deal, saying any agreement would only be accepted if it serves US interests and contributes to global security.He added that Iran "knows what it needs to do" to secure an agreement with the United States.01:15 PM, 30 May 2026Iran says Trump ‘betrayed diplomacy’ as Hormuz tensions deepenMohsen Rezaei, an adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, accused President Donald Trump of “betraying diplomacy” by continuing the US naval blockade and making what he called excessive demands in negotiations.“The US president is betraying diplomacy for the third time,” Rezaei wrote on X.He said Trump’s continuation of the naval blockade and his demands at the negotiating table showed he was not serious about diplomacy and was pursuing other objectives.01:01 PM, 30 May 2026UAE warns Iran risks global trade disruptionThe UAE has accused Iran of threatening maritime security and disrupting the global economy through actions in the Strait of Hormuz, while urging the UN Security Council to uphold international law and take decisive action to safeguard international peace and security.Speaking during a Security Council open debate on upholding the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, Mohamed Abushahab, Permanent Representative of the UAE to the United Nations, said freedom of navigation is a fundamental pillar of international law and warned that recent developments had underscored the importance of protecting vital global trade routes.Get updated faster and for FREE: Download the Gulf News app now - simply click here.12:34 PM, 30 May 2026Hezbollah says fired rockets at north Israel townHezbollah said on Saturday it fired rockets at the northern Israeli town of Kiryat Shmona, as exchanges of fire between the two sides have intensified despite Lebanon-Israel negotiations.In at least two statements, the Iran-backed group said it launched a "rocket barrage" at the town "in defence of Lebanon and its people, and in response to the Israeli enemy's violation of the ceasefire".11:44 AM, 30 May 2026Israeli army issues evacuation orders for seven south Lebanon villagesThe Israeli military issued evacuation warnings on Saturday for residents of seven villages in southern Lebanon, saying it was about to strike Hezbollah targets there."In light of the terrorist organisation Hezbollah's violation of the ceasefire agreement, the IDF is compelled to take decisive action against it," the military's Arabic-language spokesman Avichay Adraee said on X in two separate statements, naming seven villages in Lebanon's south, including some near Nabatieh.10:55 AM, 30 May 2026Hormuz disruption raises summer fuel shortage fearsSeveral international organisations, including the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the International Energy Agency (IEA) and the World Bank, have warned of the risk of fuel shortages this summer if maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz does not return to normal swiftly.In a joint statement, the heads of the three institutions said global oil inventories were being depleted at a record pace due to the significant loss of supplies passing through the Strait of Hormuz. They warned that the continued rapid decline in global stockpiles would pose growing risks to fuel security, market stability and broader economic resilience if shipping flows are not restored before peak summer demand in the Northern Hemisphere.07:54 AM, 30 May 2026Trump 'remains in excellent health': presidential physicianPresident Donald Trump's doctor said he was in "excellent health," according to a memo released Friday night, after the 79-year-old US leader underwent a routine medical check-up earlier this week."President Trump remains in excellent health, demonstrating strong cardiac, pulmonary, neurological, and overall physical function," said Trump's doctor, US Navy Captain Sean Barbabella, adding that "he is fully fit to carry out all duties of the Commander-in-Chief and Head of State."06:38 AM, 30 May 2026US 'more than capable' of resuming war with Iran: HegsethThe United States has more than sufficient stockpiles of weapons and is "more than capable" of resuming the war with Iran, Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth said in Singapore on Saturday."Our ability to recommence if necessary is (that) we are more than capable, our stockpiles are more than suited for that, both there and around the globe because of how we balance exquisite and more plentiful munitions," Hegseth told Asia's premier defence summit.Get updated faster and for FREE: Download the Gulf News app now - simply click here.05:11 AM, 30 May 2026Israeli military says projectiles launched from Lebanon at IsraelThe Israeli military said on Saturday that it had intercepted several projectiles launched from Lebanon, where it is fighting Iran-backed Hezbollah, but that one had hit near a town in northern Israel."Several projectiles launched from Lebanon toward Israeli territory were identified," the military said in a statement, adding no injuries had been reported."The majority of the projectiles were intercepted, and a hit was identified in the area of Kiryat Shmona," it said.05:06 AM, 30 May 2026Pentagon chief says US seeks 'stable equilibrium' in AsiaPentagon chief Pete Hegseth said on Saturday that the United States sought a "stable equilibrium" in Asia, adding that no country - "including China" - should be able to establish unquestioned dominance over the region."What we seek... is a genuinely stable equilibrium that works for Americans as well as our allies - a favourable but durable balance of power in which no state, including China, can impose its hegemony and hold the security or prosperity of our nation and our allies in question," Hegseth said at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore.05:03 AM, 30 May 2026Hegseth says 'rightful alarm' over China military buildup in AsiaThere is "rightful alarm" across the Pacific region over China's military build-up, Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth said on Saturday, adding that Washington did not seek "needless confrontation in the region"."When we look across the region today, there is rightful alarm regarding China's historic military build-up and the expansion of its military activities in the region and beyond," Hegseth told Asia's premier defence summit in Singapore.05:00 AM, 30 May 2026US sanctions Iranian buyers of military technology
